I've been captured by the Avengers!
by winggirl6577
Summary: This is an OC story! Please just try it! I cant promise you'll like it but those I know do! Reviews welcome and flames, though nasty, are accepted! rated t for paranoia!
1. Chapter 1

I do not own the Avengers or any affiliated companies/presses/nada. I own Brianna. And have permision to use the other girls names... I dont own Columbus High School... thats it I think!

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Chapter One

If I strained my ears I could hear the thunder from the storm outside. It was strange, being loud enough to hear it from inside the school, but it is Columbus and they probably didn't bother "wasting" money on insulation. , my advanced algebra teacher, droned on about Pascal's triangle and something about expanding binomials and it all drew away in a tangle of rain and white noise as my mind drifted away.

**In the front office**

The door slams open and a man steps through. The man has long blonde hair, seems to be wearing armor, and is holding a giant hammer. He storms toward the front office, a red cape billowing behind him. An office worker stands to meet him.

"Hello sir, may I help you?"

"I demand to be shown to the mortal Brianna Reynen!" he booms.

"Sir, please calm down and maybe we can help you. Can you state your relation to her and why you wish to see her?"

"I have no need to explain myself to you mortal! She is of need to me and my kin and you will take me to her NOW!" The glass shudders from the vibrations of his voice and heads poke out from rooms nearby. The man steps out and asks again, a call this time that echoes down the hall and nearly shattering the glass with the force of it. Nobody moves but then a girl, a girl with long straight brown hair and hazel eyes hidden by green contacts, steps out from the crowd.

"She's just down the hall." she calls out with nary a quiver in her slightly raised voice. She didn't seem to care about all the stares that she was given, everyone astounded that she would possibly condemn a fellow peer.

"Will you take me?" The man asks. She hesitates but nods. Then she turns and leads the way to one of the rooms a little more then halfway down the hall. 's room.

I snapped back to reality as harsh pounding sounds at the door. I glanced at the clock, 11:23, bare minutes since I spaced out. A voice rattled the door.

"Open the door!", a male voice called, "I require a mortal in your care!" through the windows I caught sight of silver metal and bright red fabric and then someone had opened the door and a man, no, a giant!, stepped through the doorway. In his shadow I could see Marion Ette dwarfed by the man in front of her. _What was she doing here?_

"Ma'am, I ask for one in your care.", the man's electric blue eyes sparked strangely, "Would you be so kind as to show me Brianna Reynen?" I froze. I could feel everyone's eyes on me. Who was this man? Why did he want me?

"Brie?", called, "Do you know this man?", but by that point the had already moved past her. As he stood above me I slowly stood up feeling eyes cataloguing my movements and I unconsciously straightened my shoulders. I barely stood chest high next to this goliath in front of me as I opened my mouth to ask a question he stuck out his right arm and shouted,

"Mjolnir!" I froze and glanced to the side, mouthing 'molmir?' at the girl next to me. I adjusted my purse on my hip and glanced back at the man as he stood patiently, arm outstretched. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye as Amanda frantically waved at me. I turned toward her and she mouthed something at me. I shook my head and frowned. I could never read lips well. She rolled her eyes and grabbed her pencil to scribble something down. As she held it up for me to read I heard a crash and as I finished reading I looked up to see a giant hammer land in the man's hand. I stumbled back as he reached for me but he easily scooped me up and my last thought before we were blasted through the ceiling was 'Thor'.


	2. Chapter 2

hey guys! hopefully you've gotten past the first chappie and are not too dissapointed or maybe are happy with what you found but keep reading! i have the first four chappies writen and will keep those as a buffer for when i get writers block... esh.. I will continue too write this story in 's class and hopefully people who are interested in columbus realize it is in fact a real town with real people who are in this story! if they reead this i hope they are not dissapointed with their charcters position... i dont own anything except brianna, my purse and my fear of black widows hair!

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Chapter Two

I was flying. The wind was whipping my hair into a frenzy getting in my eyes and nose and mouth and probably into Thor's as well as he slowed till it was just being blown back. I was almost too scared to glance down but I wasn't that afraid of heights and curiosity got the better of me and I looked down. Wow. We were thousands of feet above the ground and already miles away from school and Columbus and, as I watched the great lakes fade away, Wisconsin too. This whole twist in my day was exhilarating but I guessed that I was just in shock and that sooner or later the freak out would start but for now I would just ride the adrenaline rush. When we started descending sharply about what I guessed to be an hour later (I was absolutely starved, why did Thor have to steal me before lunch?) and I still hadn't started freaking out, even as we shot toward the ground at breakneck speed I started to worry at the calm that pervaded my body. I could feel myself rising out of Thor's arms as we left gravity behind and my stomach was in my throat and Thor had wrapped an arm around me to make sure I didn't fly off somewhere else on accident and I almost squeezed my eyes shut but it was so exhilarating that I kept them open but then we were landing, lightly as a butterfly. Thor set me down and I stumbled, my legs weak and my knees like jello.

"Where are we?" It was the first thing I had said since Thor had intruded into my classroom. Thor didn't answer. He was busy looking at a piece of paper and glancing at the trees around us.

"Where are we?" I asked again, my voice louder. It garnered a glance but he continued to ignore me, glancing around the clearing almost frantically now as he seemed to recognized where I was right now. On the threshold of freaking out. I opened my mouth again, to ask again or to say something or just to _scream_ I don't know but just then there was a call, a name maybe, and my jaw snapped shut. Thor looked relieved and spoke then.

"All your questions will be answered soon." So the rest of my captors were close by. I had calmed down by now so the freak out would have to wait. We started walking through the woods, me following Thor at a distance. In the beginning every couple of meters Thor would look back at me to check I was still there and keeping up. After a while of walking though his head would snap back every once in a while like he was just remembering me but as we walked on his stride lengthened and he stopped looking back completely. I slowed and drew off to the side, then stopped walking completely. I watched as he walked off but then just before I lost sight of him I started following him again. I might've wanted to escape but I didn't want to be stuck in the woods either. Plus I was hungry and thank god I already had my purse on when he grabbed me. Once I got out, and if I still managed to get away I would go find food and a phone, to see if I could get my mom or dad to help me get back home. Depending on where I was I would be able to get home pretty easily… But I could be in Nevada for all I knew, except we had been moving south when we left anything remotely familiar behind, not west. I kept my eyes on Thor, on his armor that glinted in the sun and his long rippling cape so when he stopped I reacted immediately. I had just stepped back into the sunshine after being in the shadow of a tree so I stepped back and dropped down, into the brush at the side of the path , just as he looked back. He started back along the path toward me but after two steps he looked about where I was but up and smiled. I followed his gaze and looked, there was a woman standing above me! I flipped over and scrambled back but I backed straight into Thor's legs. A man appeared in the tree above us all as other voices, male, sounded from the path to the right and he jumped down as they called out but it was fuzzy and didn't make sense. The woman kneeled in front of me, mouthing something but I couldn't read lips and these black spots on my vision were making it harder. The last thing I saw was her bright red hair before everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey! i just wanted to let all of you know about another self insert story(thank you guest reviewer for the interesting imput!) that my friend redvines1595 has started! i hope that you all enjoy the story and review please!

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Chapter Three

I woke up in a pile of warmth. I could hear a fire crackling nearby and absently wondered if I had made a nest downstairs in front of my fireplace before deciding to just not worry about it and enjoy the peace. I rolled over with a sigh and buried my face it the pillow and sighed again as my fingers carded through the fur the blanket was made of. Except I didn't own any fur blankets. Hmmm that's strange… And I could've sworn I didn't own any button up pajama shirts… The third time the worry slid off, I started to question it. But then that slipped away too. I was in an unfamiliar place, maybe, I had yet to open my eyes but as I thought of it they fluttered open and I stared around at my surroundings.

I _was_ in front of a fireplace, in the middle of the floor. I was laying on what looked like a super thin mattress but it contoured to my body and was softer then silk. I was covered in a soft white fur blanket, but now as I looked closer I could see it was synthetic. It didn't feel fake and I wondered how they made it so soft. My thoughts wandered as my eyes traveled the room, the floor to ceiling windows, state of the art entertainment center, fireplace (that I moved closer to, enjoying the warmth), and the door. I felt a strange sense of relief when I saw the door for some reason and the urge to go, find out what was beyond the door, _escape,_ but I didn't understand. Why did I want to leave my warm, soft bed? Leave this pretty room with the blue walls and the beautiful view? But the urge was strong and I stumbled toward the door. As I leaned next to it to rest my suddenly aching limbs I wondered at this need to leave, to escape? What was I escaping? There was something niggling at the back of my mind and just before it slipped away with everything else, I vaguely remembered someone with red hair. Then it all came rushing back. Whatever I was on was keeping me slightly calmer then I would be but I couldn't stop myself from sliding down the wall and just trying to breath for a while. As soon as I could breath evenly again I lurched up. I needed to get out . To get back to Wisconsin. I glanced out the window before I turned to leave the room. It looked like a city skyline and I was pretty high up. Where was I?

I slowly turned the knob and cracked the door open. There was a hallway outside the room and it was empty. But I studied it very carefully before I stepped out. And that's when I saw it. Just a glint of light out of the corner of my eye and I looked own and saw the wire. My eyes widened. Live explosion? Maybe some notification to my captors? Whatever it was, I needed to avoid it and maybe others as well. A glance later to check that the hallway was still clear and I was carefully stepping over the wire and was about to straighten up when my balance failed. I caught myself on my elbow with a wince. The pain faded immediately and I remembered my-drugged?- state. This just became mission freaking impossible.

I wobbled down the hallway checking for tripwires or other traps as well as I could. Being paranoid wasn't even a side effect of the drug. Oh well, it was saving me now…I wandered around on the floor I was on, and it was huge! I eventually gained confidence that I was alone at the moment and started opening the other doors, at first with caution and lots of peeking around corners but then I found the kitchen. Armed with snacks I then traversed the rest of the floor opening doors as I went and generally having a good time of it. But then, in the middle of one of the hallways, what else would there be, but an elevator. I immediately tensed up realizing, that though I felt better having eaten and moving around, that the drug still had enough of a hold on me to relax me to incaution in this new place. I shook my head then focused on my "mission". Escape the tower.


	4. Chapter 4

hello! i just wanted to say thank you to the people who are actually reading this story and think its interesting! carry on and please review!

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Chapter Four

I sat and stared for a while. This could be easy. Go into the elevator, take it to ground floor and casually walk out. But. I looked own at myself. I was wearing lavender (one of my favorite colors) pajamas. I didn't even know how I had gotten into them The thought of someone else changing me, especially one of my captors, made my skin crawl. I knew time was of the essence so I made my way back to my room, I mean the room I woke up in, and searched it. I found clothes stacked in front if a panel in the wall the I would've never noticed with out the clothes there. When I pushed it, it opened into a small bathroom. I relieved myself then stood in front of the sink and stared. This is normally the point where the victim is a mess after all the stress but I looked _good. _I normally don't sleep well but the drug must've knocked me out for several sleep cycles. My skin looked healthy and pinked from where I had just splashed it with hot water. There had been a brand new toothbrush and toothpaste, unopened, so my teeth and gums were fresh, clean, and cinnamon-scented (how did they know?). My hair lay soft and straight on my shoulders. I had put the clothes on but run the hairdryer over them first so they'd be warm and snuggly. And hopefully if there were any trackers in them they would be fried. Ugh, paranoia. I then went back into the rooms and searched for a bag. I found none but settled for the pillowcase. I put the pajamas in it then headed for the kitchen where I found crackers and jerky of various types (yum!). Then I grabbed the bag of pears (again, how did they know?!) and stuffed them in there too. It looked like summer outside so I didn't bother grabbing anything else, though it was a risk I would hopefully soon be at a police station or other safe location. I then grabbed a water bottle and moved back through the halls till I found the elevator again. I probably wasn't ready for this, but I was ready as I'll ever be. I pressed the down button.

Nothing happened. I pushed it again and waited some more. Nope. I couldn't believe it! How embarrassing! Got so far but then scorned by an elevator!. I pressed the button again and again but to no avail, till I pressed the up button. _Ding! _The doors slid open. I can go up? Was I under the ground floor? No that didn't make any sense, the windows showed I was high above ground. I stepped in and just stared at the floor numbers. I was on floor 13. 13 was my lucky number. I shook my head, it was just a coincidence. But the cinnamon flavored toothpaste, the pears, the color schemes of everything, even where I was placed in the room! Everything was like a dream here, ad not just because the drug made everything weird. I pressed the button for ground floor and wasn't surprised to see nothing happen. It was worth a try. I pressed the button for the floor above mine and watched as the doors slid closed. I pressed against the wall and wondered if it was even worth trying to escape anymore when everything seemed to be against me. But then the doors opened into a gym. A gym with an exit door on the other side. Unfortunately between here and there seemed to be an obstacle course. Fortunately it didn't look that bad. I looked down at my yoga pants and tank top covered body and thought about how far I could throw my pillowcase and if the crackers would get smashed. I decided being free was more important then cracker crumbs and heaved the bag over the first couple of obstacles. Crawling under barbed wire, up smooth walls with just rope, climbing onto a platform on a twisting, swinging rope ladder (pretty freaking impossible), and I finally managed to get to the last obstacle. I could see the other side as I panted, clutching a stitch in my side. The last thing had been crazy, and open space with laser shooting droids. I couldn't fight them but I was faster then them and I ran, dodging lasers all the way. I didn't get hit much and all it really was, was a sting but the smell of burned hair followed me now and when sweat ran over them they stung like crazy. The last thing I would have to do was hit a target that would drop a rope ladder for me to climb down from. There was an interesting array of things to throw, among them knives and axes and even, of all things, a plunger, but what caught my eye was the softballs. Three of them lined up in a row like this was some circus game. It was happening again, the uncanny knowledge, but this one could actually be a coincidence as there were other sport related things. I sighed and gulped in a couple more breaths before picking up the first ball. The first ball left my grip and with a **CRACK! **snapped of the edge of the target, which was lowered and replaced. So you had to hit direct middle. I picked up the second ball and threw but the moment it left my fingers I knew it was too high and it soared past the target and rolled off near my bag. I picked the third ball up but took a minute to shake out my arm. It would've been nice to have been able to warm up but then I hurled it at the target and it was low but it did the job, forcing the arm down and releasing the ladder. I lowered my self down the ladder and walked to my bag but as I was picking it up I saw the softball. It wasn't something I needed but… it was scuffed and well loved so I shrugged and dropped it in my bag. Then I moved to the exit door and saw what I had been waiting to see as I pushed open the door. Stairs. I glanced up, almost curious enough to… But I needed to get home. So I turned and started and started the trek down the stairs.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey awesome people of planet earth! Thank you for gracing my mediocre, non-betaed story with your presence! I would like to say thank you to Ira e Invidia for being so amazing and confidence boosting! I never really thought about how mean peoople could get on the internet and was surprised at how much it affected me... But now I know! Thank you once again to all of you for reading my story and dont be afraid to comment, even if you think it'll hurt my feelings hehe! I need to know what I can try and make better in this story and only you can help!

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Chapter Five

I had gone down maybe two steps when a door opened and voices spilled out from the stairwell. I rushed to the middle and glanced down. Bright red hair coming up. I turned and sprinted up the stairs as quietly as I could and as far away from the center of the stairwell as possible. Two floors later I slipped through a door and immediately slid to the ground to try and wait for my heart to get out of my throat and stop pounding like a drum, or like a rhino giving me CPR. I _finally_ glanced up and gasped. The room was a nirvana of books. There were shelves as far as the eye could see and books open at tables to view beautiful illustrations. I dropped my bag at a table and for a while just forgot everything as I wandered through the floor, trailing my fingers over the spines and breathed in the smell of books. As I wandered I started to think more. If there were treasures like this in this tower then maybe it wouldn't be _too _bad staying a little longer. And circumstances seemed to be forcing me up anyway, and I could always try escaping after exploring the three floors I haven't been on. One below me two above. I would go to the one below me first then back up. I had fun on the way back, riding the ladders on the shelves and even climbing up to the very top and trying to run and jump from shelf to shelf but it was dusty and after slipping after landing I climbed down and walked normally. I grabbed my bag and, checking to make sure the stairwell was empty, went down a floor and stepped into the next room.

It was about a quarter smaller then the rest of the floors and I didn't know where the rest of the space went but for that moment I didn't care. The entire space was a giant ball pit. There were normal balls but also foam squares and bigger things that didn't seem to match. Bigger metal looking things. That looked like cars… right, cause who didn't want cars in their ball pits? I walked to the walls and back, being careful to not step on any pieces of broken car in my sock covered feet. The walls seemed thin but of a strange metal that sounded hollow but seemed pretty strong. It seemed like they would hold more behind them, but, as of the point when I learned I couldn't play in the ball pit, I had lost interest. I waded back to the stairwell and walked up two floors. Past the library until I slipped through the door. It was all dark so I waited till my eyes adjusted before trying to make out shapes. I still couldn't see anything but as I turned to go, a soft glow caught my eye. I walked toward the glow cautiously before finding out it was just a computer. I glanced around then sat down and woke it up. It was already logged on so I looked through the desktop. There were normal things there but there was a curious icon called J.A.R.V.I.S. I clicked on it but then jumped back as the screen split into four and flew onto bigger screens above the main monitor. Three of the screens held scrolling data but the forth screen held a 3D digital face.

"Ms. Reynolds." it intoned, "You are not supposed to be here. Shall I inform Mr. Stark you are on your way to the penthouse?"

"No, wait! Where are we? Why am I here? Are you the reason the elevator wouldn't let me go down?"

"I was told not to let you go below your floor, yes, but your other questions will be answered by Mr. Stark when you travel to the penthouse."

"But I don't want to talk to Stark! I want to go home!" I threw myself down. I just wanted to go home and see my friends, sit at my lunch table and laugh, completely relax at home, reading or writing stories. Ask Marion why she helped him find me, because why else would I be here? I just wanted to go home. I heard a hum over my gasps as I cried silently, painfully. Then something touched my shoulder. I screamed and jumped up, almost parallel with the ground I was leaning so hard away from whatever it was that touched me. I tumbled under the table the Jarvis computers were on. There was a loud buzzing and beeping behind me as I scrambled around to face it, sounding almost frantic. There was a small robot there with one arm that was drooping, almost seeming dejected. It didn't look dangerous but the way it was acting it seemed like Jarvis.

"Hello?" The arm shot up and it beeped. "can you talk?"

"Whirrrrr…." I guess not. I crawled out and hesitantly patted the little robot on his hand, arm… thing. It beeped loudly again.

"Well what's your name then?"

"The name of Mr. Starks creation is D.U.M.B.E. but has been nicknamed dummy."

"Thank you, Jarvis. Could you please tell me what room this is?"

"Certainly Ms. Reynolds. This is Mr. Starks personal lab." If it was personal, why make it so easily accessible? I walked around the room looking at blueprints, playing with the awesome computers, and generally calming down and forgetting about reality. It had already been about half an hour of me conversing with dummy and finding a comfy place to sit while I studied books I didn't understand before I decided it was time to stop stalling.

"Bye dummy." I whispered. He whirred again and tapped my shoulder gently. The door leading to the hall opened and I could see the elevator doors sliding open too.

"Shall I inform Mr. Stark of your imminent arrival?" I sighed and stood patting dummy's arm once more.

"Yeah I'm coming. Should I shut off your computer?"

"No, that will not be necessary. Thank you though." I nodded and watched as the lights blinked out again. I nodded once more then walked out to the hall. I stood in front of the open elevator and wondered if I was ready for this or not. Probably not. Lets go.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks to Cittykat17 for the review! Here is the next chappie and I hope it doesnt confuse people too too much because it cliffs at the end... My bad... The next chappie will explain:P

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I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. I then leaned against the wall and ran my fingers through my hair. What was going to happen now? Would my questions be answered? Did I even want them to be?… I had no more time to think after that as the doors slid open to reveal a wide open room, again with floor to ceiling windows but white walls that made the room seem bigger and brighter. There was dark grey furniture and dark blue carpeting that reminded me of the ocean. But there was nobody there. I poked my head out and glanced to the left then whipped back to the right as I saw a flash of movement. I winced inwardly as my neck twinged then jumped back as I registered bright red hair. I heard steps then a man stepped into my view. I visibly relaxed then froze again seeing _her_ behind him. I shuffled to the side till I couldn't see her anymore then slid to the floor. The new man glanced over his shoulder and spoke.

"'Tasha why don't you take five?" There was silence for a second then a sigh.

"I'll go order dinner. Mexican okay tonight?" There were general sounds of agreement from elsewhere in the room and I tried to force my face between my ankles. The new man nodded and the door closed. I shut my eyes and uncurled a bit until I was just resting my head on my knees before the man turned around. He stayed quiet for a moment longer then, "Brie?" My eyes flashed open and focused on his face.

"Brie, my name is Bruce Banner. I understand that you have some questions. It would be easier for us to answer them if you came into the room. Could you do that for me?" I nodded and he held out his hand to help me up. I stared at it mutely for a second then hesitantly grasped it. There was something about this man, Bruce, that calmed me and made me want to trust him. He pulled me up smoothly, using all arm power, easily for his unassuming form. I wondered what his calm facade hid. I followed him into the living room. I could see three men I didn't know now and Thor.

" This is Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Clint Barton. Thor is the one who brought you here." I nodded absentmindedly at the men but mumbled, "Kidnapped…"

"What?"

"He kidnapped me." I clarified. I glanced at Bruce's wrinkled brow.

"No, he should ha- Thor? Did you explain to the school or Brie why you were bringing her here?" He glanced away guiltily but didn't say anything.

"He burst into my classroom unannounced, then summoned his hammer and grabbed me. After that we blasted through the ceiling and he flew me out to that forest." I announced helpfully but finished with a shiver as red past through my memory again. But this time it was different… a voice broke through my thoughts.

"Ah that's just Thor being Thor!" Tony Stark had bounced to his feet and now stood in front of me holding out his hand expectantly. I reached out to shake it tentatively.

"Hi. My name is, as you know, Tony Stark, but you can call me Iron Man!" I heard a groaned 'Tony…" from behind us as Tony dragged me toward the couch.

"That charming man behind you is the Hulk, Steve here is Captain America, and bird brain over there is Hawkeye!" Those were all superhero names. I glanced around, confused, at the men seated before me. Only Thor, who I had only heard of through myth (but only because Amanda reminded me), looked like he was up to saving anything. Clint and Steve were muscled but they relaxed like they didn't have a care in the world. Tony Stark was Iron Man but he didn't look like he could hurt a fly. Bruce, the Hulk? No way! My disbelief must've shown on my face.

"Jarvis, do we have film on our last mission?"

"Yes, sir. Would you like me to pull it up on the screens?" So that's why Jarvis didn't mind shutting down the computer! He wasn't on the computer, he was in the whole building!

"Yes, please!" Tony said as he pulled me toward a desk. More screens like the ones in his lab filled up with scenes of them fighting. I watched as, after a battle, Captain America pulled off his cowl and became Steve Rogers again, grinning at Hawkeye, who snapped his bow closed and stored it in a compartment in the quiver slung across his back. He grinned right back. Iron Man flew down beside them, holding a pair of pants that he tossed to a recently de-hulked Bruce Banner, as his visor flipped up to show Tony. The red haired woman walked up behind them and tapped a recently arrived Thor on the shoulder, slipping past him on the opposite side when he turned to see who tapped him. When he saw her he gave a rumbling laugh and slapped her on the back, not noticing how it nearly sent her face first onto the concrete. A plane/helicopter… thingy came down, landing near them. They all clambered in. The feed ended but I stayed staring at the screens.

"Who's, um… The girl with the red hair?" I finished and glanced down at my twisting, worrying hands.

"That's Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow." Clint answered, watching me curiously. I ducked my head even further under his scrutiny. I needed to think about this, find my reasons for being so absolutely terrified of her.

"Brie? What is it? What about her scar-." At that moment the door opened. I glanced behind me. As I saw her, my body was already a step ahead, throwing myself violently to the floor. I crawled behind the couch and rested, panting, pressing my face to the floor.

"Jarvis, can you hear me?" I whispered.

"Yes Ms. Reynolds. What do you need?"

"It would be great if you could open the elevator doors, please."

"As you wish Ms. Reynolds. Is that all?" I crawled to the edge of the couch closest to the elevator. Steve and Clint stood behind me, watching Tony and Bruce talk to _her_. The doors opened. I jumped up to run but then arms threaded around my waist and I was lifted, squirming and yowling, into the air. I had forgotten about Thor!

"Put me down!" I thrashed in his arms and Thor grimly held me. Then, I don't know how, I twisted my body sideways and yanked on his shoulder somehow managing to haul myself out of his arms and onto the floor. Ouch. But ignoring the pain was easy enough with this adrenaline rush. I scrambled to my feet and darted toward the elevator that was waiting for me patiently. However, luck was against me and, just before I reached the safety of the small box, Natasha, the Black Widow, appeared in front of me.

Unable to stop fast enough, I barreled into her and fell to the floor again. I didn't even know where I was when I got up but I could hear someone on the edge of my hearing saying my name, calling me. I whirled around towards it and stumbled back. Then, suddenly, I froze as I felt a prick. Liquid ice flooded my veins and I fell to my knees, nerve endings suddenly screaming out at me. I heard voices in the background and wondered why this all seemed so familiar to me when I saw a flash of red hair. A memory flashed through my mind but it was too late and I was keeling over just as someone's arms came around me. Then I felt nothing.


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you so so so so much to everybody who gave me such awesome reviews! I am so happy so many people love the story and I'll try to keep it as good as possible! I mightve stretched the truth and the info might not be coming out for another couple of chappies(so sorry!) but we'll get there eventually!

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µI walked through my house after dark. I needed to get a drink and it was still early enough to get something, well, not water. Something tasty, like tea. _Hmmm, tea sounds amazing right now_. I looked at the clock, it was 9:30. Dad would be mad that I wasn't asleep, but more so that I was blatantly shoving it in his face. I turned instead to the fridge. As I opened it, I heard a shuffling from the living room but ignored it in favor of grabbing the lemonade. I grabbed my I-Pod and leaned against the counter to drink my lemonade and check Facebook.

Once I was done I put my glass in the sink and wandered over to my favorite armchair in the living room. I curled up there with a book until 10:40, then I got up and stretched to head to bed. As I walked toward the stairs, however, I heard the rustling noise I had forgotten about. I paused, but continued up the stairs. At the top, I grabbed hold of each edge of the staircase and lifted my weight to silently move back down the stairs.

When I reached the bottom, I watched in sudden bewildered terror as I saw a flash of red. A woman unfolded herself from under the table that was in between the couch and the loveseat. Even as she caught sight of me and took her first step forward, my mind refused the thought of screaming or running. Both would be very loud and would wake my dad, which would put him in a bad mood all of tomorrow.

"Who are you?" I barely even saw her move but, suddenly, my mouth and nose were covered. I twisted and squirmed and desperately tried to draw breath. She held me with no trouble and I slowly succumbed to lack of oxygen. The last thing I saw was red hair, pale skin, and now, even worse, a wicked smile.µ

I shot upward. I was in a bed again. I clenched my fingers in the starchy sheets and tried to make sense of what was happening in my mind. _What was that?_ A dream powered by fear? Or worse, the memory I had felt pressing at the front of my mind before I had been overwhelmed by drugs. I scooted back in the bed until my back hit the headboard and curled up slowly. As I leaned further into my position, though, it caused something to tug on my arm. I glanced down to see a needle. I couldn't help the wave of instant nausea and I gagged over the edge of the bed.

After my stomach settled, I sagged there, eyes closed, as I felt for the IV in my arm and ripped it out. I winced at the pain but threw it away from me and crawled off the bed. I turned away from the mess to the left and stumbled toward the door. My arms and legs felt like lead and the arm that had the IV in it throbbed and bled sluggishly. I opened a cabinet to find some gauze to wrap around it and sat there, on the floor, in the middle of this hospital like room, to wrap it up. After I was done, I could hardly see straight. I was hungry and tired and felt sick from throwing up. I leaned against the wall, staring at the light coming through the door which was suddenly blocked by a huge dark figure. Or I blinked. I couldn't tell.

I shivered violently at the thought of the needle in me, piercing my skin and I couldn't stop. The light returned as I finally let go. I sat there in the middle of a room that somebody else had put me in again and cried. I screamed out my frustration from everything that was happening to me. And I still didn't know what was going on. I sobbed for my parents that were probably worried out of their minds. I sobbed for my friends who had probably heard of my kidnapping by now. I wailed until I couldn't breathe and the only thing I was able to do was hiccup. Slowly, finally, I calmed again and sank, exhausted, to the floor. I pillowed my head on my arms and curled close to the wall. Then, for the first time since the kidnapping, I fell into a tired, warm sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Well this is a filler chappie and I'm sorry its so short but... Anyway thank you so so so so so so so(and I could go on) much for all your amazing reviews! Its the highlight of my day when I can open up my email account when I get home and see emails from fanfic saying I got a review, a follower, or a favorite. All I have to say is that you guys are amazing and thank you for your support! So without faurther interuption here's the chappie!

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Chapter Eight

I awoke back in the blue room to someone humming behind me. I yawned and stretched in the luxury of the bed, kneading my fingers in the soft blanket.

"About time" an amused voice commented. I shifted into what counted as a sitting position and turned to glare at a smirking Clint. He sat on the low couch by my head with an arrow in his hands. How predictable. He cast a few glances at the table behind him. I was going to yell at him for possibly carving in my table, but, then again, it really was Tony's and he, at least, had the power to punish Clint for doing such a thing. I went to rub my eyes and winced when I felt the crusty dried tears on my cheeks and the puffiness under my eyes. A terrible thought crossed my mind. Clint watched in amusement as I tentatively patted the huge mess on my head that liked to call itself hair. I sighed and left my poor, abused locks alone for the moment and crawled to the edge of the counch to slump over it. Ugh. I needed a bath in the worst way. Clint took mercy on me then.

"Since every time we try to tell you anything, even trying to get Fury to talk to you, things go crazy, everything that you need to know is in here," he said as he pulled out a folder from who knows where and handed it to me. "We'll be able to explain more to you in person once you get the basics. Go and get ready. When you're done there will be food, clothes, and this waiting for you. When you're done reading, come find us and we'll explain the rest. Got it?" I vaguely nodded in his direction as I stared at the folder. It seemed awfully slim to hold that much information. "Good," he nodded to me and grabbed a rope hanging from an air vent in the ceiling. How had I not noticed that? He pressed a button on his hip and the rope retracted into the ceiling. He gave me a salute and then disappeared into the venting system.

I stared after him for a minute. What? There was a door not fifteen steps away or so and he crawls through the walls? His nickname just became Basilisk. I shook my head then and turned back to look at the folder. I almost reached for it but stood and then decisively walked away. I needed some food and to be clean (and time) before I was ready to open that folder.


	9. Chapter 9

So sorry about leaving you with that silly little filler chappie! It's been busy of course, Christmas and all so here is a moderatly long chappie as a present! Hope you enjoy!

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I brushed my hair slowly as I stood in front of the mirror after I had taken my shower. It was a Vichy shower and had felt like heaven on my poor, abused muscles. I hadn't had a workout like yesterday's in, well, ever, and while it was nice pushing myself to my limits, it didn't feel nice now. Plus, the impromptu fight/escape and even all that stair climbing… Lets just say it had been a rough couple of days and I would enjoy using the elevator. I left my hair down to dry and wrapped myself in the bath robe. I wandered back into the studio-style room. The folder was still on the table, but beside it was a huge tray, full of much more important information to me at this moment. Food. Lots and lots of food. There was bacon and croissants, French toast, a small waffle with strawberry goop and whipped cream on it… I dove right in, eating as much as I could so it didn't go to waste… and that's the only reason, not because I was completely famished, or the category five earthquake/stomach grumble. Finally, I sat back, sated, with a cup of tea and pulled the folder to me.

As I read, I became confused, however. These reports were dated years before this whole thing. In fact, the surveillance dated back to my birth. Why were they watching me when I was a baby? And the locations were all spread out… I have never been anywhere near California or Washington, but then why would these reports have me there, and in Texas… All these places I knew I should have never been in because all my life I had only ever lived in Florida and Wisconsin. I had visited a few of these places but… Whatever, I'll ask them more later.

I flipped through a couple more pages to find the most recent interactions. But before I found the kidnapping, I found a report of a subduing. In the description was my dream. My almost forgotten dream, written out on paper to prove right the terror of its reality. I hurriedly turned past that. I would dwell on that later. Finally, I got to the kidnapping. It had all the details I had expected, but as a bonus, had reports of how it was being handled at home. I almost cried again when I read how my parents had been contacted but laughed a second later when I read of how my friends had swarmed the SHIELD agents who had come to smooth things over. All my things had been removed from the school and the 'interviews' with the students and teachers involved were hilarious. It was all rumor and I can only imagine what gossip was going on around school. I wondered if anyone missed me. I sighed and flipped through the rest quickly. There was nothing else in there to help explain to me why I was there.

I got up and went to get changed. The clothes were waiting for me at the foot of my bed but I ignored them for the moment in favor of just flopping down onto the soft fur and silky sheets. I might as well use this time to relax while I had it. But I couldn't quiet my mind. Finally, I rolled over. I understood my fear of Natasha now, but why was she so… irritated with me? I knew that without her interference I probably wouldn't even be here now. In fact, I would probably be back in my old, boring, goody-two-shoes life. It had never sounded so tempting to be in Columbus, of all places. My life was literally flipped upside down and inside out… I got up again and finally got dressed. Sitting next to the clothes was a note I hadn't noticed earlier. I finished dressing then opened it to read,

Brie,

Come to the lab before you meet with the team.

-Bruce.

I went up to the lab floor in the elevator. I walked over, feeling almost awkward now, having been so comfortable in it before while they were gone. I thought back to that wonderful library and sighed wistfully at the memory as I walked over to knock. After a second, the door opened to show Tony who smiled and let me in.

"I wondered when you would show up," he gestured me inside and added "Dummy's missed you!" As he spoke I looked past him to see Dummy bobbing his head to whatever song was playing as he hung out by Bruce's elbow.

"Well, come on in! Make yourself comfortable!" He dragged me over by Bruce and tapped him on the shoulder as he went to retrieve another chair. I smiled at Dummy's 'whirrrr' as he patted my head. The chair Tony pulled up for me was all white and squeaky clean. I wondered where he had got it from as I would have assumed it would be covered in oil and grease from Tony messing around with mechanics all the time. Even now, as his hand left the pristine color, it left a little dark smudge on the arm.

"Where'd you get the chair?" I asked as I sat down. "If it stayed even a day in your presence it would become blac-" I had settled my arms down on the rests and had stopped when cuffs came around and snagged my wrists. I looked up in shock as Bruce, looking worried, checked the tightness around my wrists then turned my right arm over.

"Black. Like your heart." I finished bleakly, no longer in jest. The clamps tightened again and I couldn't make myself move from where I was watching as they went into action. I couldn't even speak for a moment.

"Tony." I finally managed. He didn't budge. "Bruce?" I said, starting to squirm. He flinched minutely from my pleading, questioning tone. "Will you at least tell me why?" There was silence for a second before Tony broke it.

"We just need to take some blood samples and you needed to be removed from the SHIELD hospital too early, you still had remnants of the drug in your system… And we also had some other tests to run…" He glanced up at me apologetically, but his gaze shot away from mine, as anger pushed out shock and confusion.

"So, you strap me to a chair?! You could've just asked! I've dealt with going to the doctor before and being held down isn't going to help having NEEDLES in me!" But then I saw the needle Bruce was prepping. Big needles, huge really, why did they have to be that big?, and low blood sugar. Which might explain the huge delicious breakfast. I regretted eating so much now. I felt like I was going to hurl. I craned my neck, trying to see the other needles Tony was pulling out. My hands started to shake.

"What are those for then?" I asked, my voice decidedly higher then normal.

"They are just normal immunizations, you've never had chicken pox, right?" Tony absentmindedly spoke while he drew liquid into the fourth, fourth!, needle and gathered the rest, coming around to put them on a cart near me. I tried to remember how to breathe normally but my throat felt like it did when I ran at 12 on the treadmill for too long, raw and swollen.

Trying to keep my eyes on both of them was hard with them on either side, but, as Tony turned, I could see Bruce on my other side. He wasn't just going to stab me with it right? I kicked out and my chair scooted back so hard, I hit the counter behind me. Tony had dropped his needles and was coming toward me slowly, saying something but I couldn't hear very well and even if I could read lips, I wasn't looking. I could see Bruce drop the big needle but then he grabbed another. I stood as best as I could and suddenly whirled around straining my arms back so far it hurt, trying to get them to back off. Hopefully.

Then I turned towards Tony, put my head down, and _charged. _He let me pass and tried to grab at the legs and bottom of the chair, but my blustering movements almost knocked him down. I stumbled away across the lab, toward the door. My wrists felt like they were going to snap off at any moment, but the door wouldn't open and-.

"JARVIS!" I called out desperately.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Reynolds, but this act is not allowed." I turned back around to look for Tony and Bruce but they were still at the table, Tony was talking to him and I remembered the green creature, the Hulk. I turned again to look at the door, the glass door. I sat back down and kicked, pushing so hard I knocked myself over. I struggled back up and just hurled myself at the glass, and it hurt so much. I did it again.

"JARVIS please!" I almost sobbed. There was a sigh from behind me.

"Let her go JARVIS." The chair dropped from my wrists. I didn't pause to look back as the door popped open with a *click*. I just ran. I got into the elevator and slammed the doors closed button then pressed the emergency button that stopped the elevator. I fell to the ground and relaxed finally. I rubbed at my sore wrists, that were already starting to bruise. I wanted out. I wanted to go home. But what if they came after me again? I also wanted to know why they wanted me in the first place. I already felt better, and, aside from a few bruises that would heal and hopefully new respect from Tony and Bruce, I would be fine. As long as there were no restraints involved and I got the info, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stay here for now.

I got up. I brushed my hair back with my fingers and decided the high color in my cheeks was good. Made me look cheerful even when I wanted to run away screaming like a bat out of hell. But onward and upward. Literally. I flipped the emergency switch off, then pressed the button for the penthouse.


	10. Chapter 10

Ah! I'm not quite sure how this turned out but this now where the story is going to go... So here you go! have fun lol! R&R peeps!

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I started as the elevator doors opened. I had barely noticed the elevators movement, I was so caught up in my own little world. I stepped out into the living room and hesitated, seeing red hair, seeing Natasha. But then I straightened my shoulders and walked over.

"Hey, guys." They glanced up and my eyes locked with Natasha's. I could see Clint tensing and Steve and Thor glancing between us worriedly. But I lifted my chin and met her gaze head-on and smiled when an approving light entered her eyes. I dropped to the couch but didn't relax, keeping my arms in my lap. They all turned towards me and waited expectantly.

"So, um, did anyone know about the surprise blood-drawing party downstairs?" I saw Natasha's and Clint's eyes meet but everyone shook their heads negatively. Steve spoke up.

"What do you mean 'blood-drawing party'?" I looked away and shrugged.

"Oh, nothing. I just would've appreciated a warning." I looked at Clint as I said this and rubbed my throbbing wrists again. "So, about the file, it never really said anything about why I'm here and some of the details seemed a bit… fabricated." Natasha and Clint shared a glance again, this time including Steve. Thor seemed completely unaware and steadily watched me. Natasha stood.

"We felt it would be easier to show you… Is that ok with you?" I nodded cautiously. She nodded briskly, almost eagerly.

"Unlock code 2-1-9-7-Alpha-Foxtrot-Nebula-Starlight." The effect was instantaneous. Fire raced through my veins and I collapsed onto my hands and knees. I was surrounded all at once by colors and pressure. My head felt like it was swelling but suddenly, with a click like a joint popped back into place, relief rushed through me and trickled down my spine to pool around my heart. It entered my bloodstream and, in two suddenly loud pumps of my heart, the feeling spread through the rest of my body.

I relaxed my rigid position and sank back to rest on my heels, slowly dragging my fingers through the carpet, feeling the glorious flex of my claws in the fibers. I heard breathing and heartbeats, slow and calming, from in front of me. And I felt awe, confusion, wonder, and a strange sense of anxiety. Unusual mixture. I opened my eyes to see... so much. Everything was clearer and brighter, like someone had wiped a film from my vision. I looked at these familiar people, ones that I had known but had never felt, had never sampled their flavor of feeling.

"Starlight." The red-haired lady spoke. That was pretty. Was that my name? I thought not, but maybe it was? Everything was so different. "Come here. Come see yourself." And she beckoned me forth, brought me in front of a wall of reflection. A mirror, I remembered belatedly. I looked at myself. My hair was curlier then I remembered, and the red streaks were definitely new, but I liked them. My eyes looked back at me, amber, not brown, and narrow pupils, like a cats. The rest of me looked and felt normal, good, but as I reached up to touch a curl I noticed my nails, or rather my claws. I retracted them till they sunk into a little slit on the tips of my fingers. Hmm… they didn't have that normally. At least I didn't think so.

The red-haired lady, and here a title floated up, Na?, stroked my hair and I smiled contentedly. Na pulled out a pen and paper and wrote something down to give to me. 'Lock code' the paper said with a string of numbers and words beneath it. Then below that 'Unlock code' and the numbers and different words and my name.

"Say the lock code, Star" Na said.

"Ok Na." She grinned at me as I started the code. "Lock code 2-1-9-7-Talon-Beta-Nebula-Nightshade." These words weren't pretty and ice flooded my veins as I gasped, shuddering at the feeling. I drew into myself to wait out the cold but then, when it was almost unbearable, I felt a *POP* and it all stopped. I clenched my teeth when I stood up because everything hurt again, and glanced down at my shaking hands to see my nails were normal again. I whirled around to see myself in the mirror. The streaks were still there but dull in my normal, coarse, wavy-at-the-ends hair. My eyes were brown. A dull headache set in as I turned to Natasha who was staring at me with an expression that looked scarily close to hope on her face.

"Star?" Her voice came out small in the tension filled space. I hesitated, but shook my head with certainty.

"I'm Brie. What. The hell. Was that?" Her face fell but immediately the mask snapped back in place.

"That, Brie, was why you are here." She spat out my name with such venom that I flinched. I took a step back, my head starting to throb as I felt tears prick my eyes. I knew now; knew why I was here. The blood samples, all the physical things. _Tests_, my mind shouted, and now proof. Proof right here on this scrap of paper in my hand that I wasn't normal, and that I never could be again.


	11. Chapter 11

Hi! Here is the next chappie! Hope it hasnt been too long!

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I step back again. Na, Natasha, makes no move to stop me as I slowly turn and walk back into the living room. I walk by Steve, Clint, and Thor. _Captors, _my mind spits viciously.

"Brie?" I don't know who it is but I keep walking as if I had never heard him. I'm at the elevator by the time I hear them again, this time sounding a little louder. I ignore him again and another one tells him to let me go, it's a lot for me to take in all at once. I step into the elevator and press the button for the ground level. The doors slid shut but the car didn't move for a moment,

"Let me go, JARVIS. That's what they said, so let me go." Nothing happened for a second but then the car started. I sighed in relief as we passed my floor and kept moving down. I was glad JARVIS was taking their orders as literally as I was. I checked my hair, the streaks were cool, I had to admit. But it didn't make any of this any better. When the doors opened, I stepped into a busy lobby. I hesitated then relaxed and walked confidently toward the desk.

"Hi, my name is Brianna Reynen. I have an item, my purse, that is being held somewhere? Tony said it would all be taken care of, all I had to do was talk to," I took a moment here to read her name tag, "Hannah, and you would know what to do." I smiled sweetly at her as she beamed at the mention of Tony recommending her. Flattery in its most basic form, yet it worked wonders. I smirked at her back as she led me down a couple halls to a room that looked like archives, but with items, not books. She chatted on about how she loved working for Tony and if I knew whether he was going out with Pepper or not. And even more on and on, all the while I was polite and smiley, gushing with her. Finally, finally, she found my purse and led me back out to the lobby.

"Oh, do you need me to call your guard or is he waiting for you?" What guard?

"He's waiting by the car, and I might've said it would only take me a moment…" It was hard to look guilty when I was having so much fun.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry for keeping you! Okay, everything should be in there, and have a good time!" I smiled back, laughing as I walked away.

"I already have!" I called as I finally got out of the building. I walked for a block then opened my purse. I checked my wallet and turned my phone on. While my phone woke up, I carefully place the paper in the zippered pouch on the side of my purse. I would look at that again later. I called my mom.

"Brie? Baby, is that you?!"

"Mom, Mommy, calm down I need you to listen." Once she quieted I started to talk again. "This call is probably being traced. I just wanted you to know I'm safe, I think I'm in New York and-"

"What do you mean its being traced? Honey, are you in trouble? No one over here will tell us what's going on! How did you get to New York? All people say is that they're trying to help…"

"I was kidnapped." Her worried chatter stopped.

"What do you mean? Who kidnapped you?"

"These people who work for some government agency called SHIELD. They've been knocking me out or drugging me and dragging me between their hospital and this tower that wouldn't allow me to leave. Like literally the tower itself was… alive! I mean it deferred to Tony, I mean one of the people who kidnapped me but… And then this thing happened… I just got out today…"

"You said SHIELD? A government agency called SHIELD?" My mom dragged me off that thought path and I latched onto the new one with relief.

"Yeah, do you know it?"

"I've heard of it." Her voice suddenly flat. "Listen baby, do you have money for a cab?"

"Yeah, like 30 dollars, maybe. What's going on mom?"

"Grab a pen and write down this address." I hurriedly balanced the phone between my ear and my shoulder as I dug through my purse and grabbed a pen.

"The address?"

"250 West 50th street. Go there, lock the doors, and stay away from the windows. Don't answer the phone unless it rings once, hangs up, then rings again. If you use this phone again, use it now then throw it away. Daddy and I miss you, honey. We'll see you soon, okay? Just stay there, stay safe. Good bye, honey." And then she hung up.

I walked over and sat on the steps of a nearby building. If I was going to contact anyone else it might as well be now. I went through my contact list. Only 5 girls that needed to know anything. I sent out a text. Manda probably wouldn't see it until tomorrow and the other girls wouldn't see it until later, by then I would already be at the location my mom gave me. Or, as I stood up to find a can to throw it in and it started buzzing in my hand, maybe not. I pressed accept call.

"BRIE?!"

"Kalli?"

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" I paused at that. Physically I was okay, I guess… Mentally or Emotionally, on the other hand, well…

"Yeah, I'm fine!"

"Where are you? What happened?"

"Oh, I wish I could tell you what's going on… I, I'm in New York and well, I was kidnapped…" There was a seconds pause then-

"WHAT?!" I winced at the volume. "I- no, when are you going to be home?"

"Umm… I, Kalli, I have to get rid of my phone."

"Right. Well, the moment you can get on Facebook or get another phone or whatever, I don't care if you send me a biography, just tell me what is going on. And when you get back and you're safe, be ready to be yelled at, for not taking me with!" I half-heartedly laughed, even as tears welled up in my eyes.

"Gods, Kalli, if only… You won't believe what's been happening." My smile faded as my thoughts traveled back to the paper.

"Well, you can tell me later… Just make sure you are able to tell me later, okay?" I almost laughed again at her non-speak of telling me to be safe and come home.

"Of course. Just be ready to hear one hell of a story."

"Oh, I'll be ready... Bye."

"Bye." I whispered then hung up and popped open the back of the phone. I slipped the Sim card out and crushed it beneath my shoe. Then I threw it and the phone in the nearest trash can. I needed a new phone anyways. I walked over to the side of the road. I didn't even know how to hail a cab. What the hell am I supposed to do? I paid attention to the crowd around me for the first time. I don't know how I ignored this huge mass of people. They weaved and flowed together like I had seen a school of fish do. It was insane. Suddenly, a person popped out of the mass. He stuck his hand out and immediately a taxi pulled up. That was it? I stepped up to the curb nervously and stuck my hand out. Nothing happened. I groaned and pulled back. I probably looked like a moron standing there indecisively at the curb. I waited for another person to try and get a cab and on the other side of the street I watched a woman in a business suit wave down a taxi. I blanched as she ran out in front of a cab practically but it stopped and she jumped in. I got closer to the edge and stuck my hand out again. This time a cab pulled up and I sighed in relief. I opened the door to get in but then some guy elbowed me out of the way and jumped in. I gaped at him.

"Do you want a ride or not?" The cabbie called at me. I carefully sank into the seat next to the random man. He ignored me and stated his destination. When we got there he got out and was gone.

"Sorry about that guy, you're new here aren't you?" I nodded shakily.

"I need to get to 250 West 50th street?" I didn't know protocol for this and the guy before didn't seem to be a very good example. But the cabbie nodded.

"You got it," he said as he pulled away from the curb. When we got there I paid him and gave him a five dollar tip. I hoped it was enough. He didn't say anything but smiled and waved goodbye. I turned and looked at the building I was in front of. Then I walked up to it and checked the door. There wasn't a lock, but a small almost unnoticeable panel near the knob. I flipped it open and touched the screen beneath it. A light flashed over it and I realized it was a scanner. I pressed my thumb against it and it flashed again and I heard a click from the door. I turned the knob but hesitated. I glanced around again. Then I sighed and pulled open the door. I stepped inside.


	12. Chapter 12

Here's the next chappie! Finally, it took me three trys to update this because I kept forgetting to! But here you go! Enjoy!

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Chapter Twelve

I paced across the room again. It had been a day and, thankfully, I had been able to sleep, or I would already have gone crazy. But now, as I turned back toward the bookcase that held the reason for my restlessness, I was almost ready to scream. I had no idea how much I would miss people that would normally be annoying when I had a day to myself. A day to just sit back and relax. But today I had woken up bright and early, 6:20 exactly, just as I would've if my alarm clock would have woken me up. I had been able to just snuggle in the admittedly uncomfortable bed for an hour or two, but now it was noon and I had too much energy.

I turned back toward the window and checked again to see if the window was secure and the drapes settled well enough to hide me from any outside eyes. There was nothing for me to do in this house. The only books in the bookcase were either ones that I could've died reading while in school or textbooks. College history textbooks. Whoever created the atmosphere must've loved history though. The one book I had looked through had been highlighted and had notes in the margins. Very boring notes, about history, but it was a well loved book. And maybe also the reason I slept so well last night.

I stopped in the middle of the room and slumped down on the ugly grey-green couch. I glanced at the clock unwillingly. Two minutes, two measly minutes since I had last checked. I leaned my head back on the couch and sighed, trying to get my tensed muscles to relax. My head turned. There was the bookshelf. Looking oh so innocent when I knew. I knew its secret! I stood up, striking a dramatic pose with a finger pointing accusingly at the bookshelf.

"Don't think you fool me!" I told it. "You might be able to pull others in, but I have a stronger will than those who fall for your dastardly tricks!" I lowered my hand and rubbed my forehead. I knew which book I had slipped it in, I even knew the page number. It took effort to even put the book back on the shelf. There had to be some form of magic persuasion right? I sat back down and looked at the clock again. Three minutes. Just an infinite amount left, right? I turned back toward the bookshelf. It wouldn't hurt to have one more peek would it? Just to ah… see if it was there?

I stood, finally giving in to the urge. I walked steadily closer, hand reaching out to touch and grasp the book. Then there was a noise at the door.

The end of this chappie! Hope you don't mind another filler!

Lol no I'm just kidding!

I heard a snap, something that sounded an awful lot like the flap of the scanner pad. I glanced around quickly as the lock snapped open. There was no place to hide really except, maybe… I jumped behind the door, sitting in the corner where there was a bare half a foot of space before the wall. The door opened. A man stepped through. Was that? Then he turned back toward the door and grabbed something, hauling it into the living room and was followed by a woman. They closed the door. I watched as their eyes traced the room. Then my mom nodded to my dad. He took the bags and walked down the hall. I could hear him in the other room.

"Mom?" I whispered. She turned around and smiled gently at me.

"Baby, there you are." She turned and called down the hall, "She's over here, honey!" When he came into view, I laughed, finally breaking out of the stunned trance I was in. I ran up and hugged him.

"Daddy." He laughed and gave me a tight squeeze like we always did when he came home from work. Mom came and held my hand leading me over to the couch and Dad went to do something else.

"How are you baby? Are you okay? They did treat you okay, didn't they?" She was patting my arms, looking at my face. I flinched a little where she hit the leftover gauze on my arm from where I had ripped the needle out. She immediately looked at it, checking to make sure it was okay.

"I'm fine, mom, really." She glanced at me, unimpressed. "They treated me fine when I was awake and with them." Well, except Natasha, but she obviously didn't like me, well the _me_ part of me. Not like my cat-like alter ego…

"I'm sure you feel okay now, honey, but are you sure you're okay with this whole thing? I mean, you were kidnapped! Stolen away from school!"

"Well, I got to skip four days of school." I grinned at her.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter **13**! Have fun!

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Chapter **13**

I walked through to the kitchen. Typical Mom, not even here for five minutes and already asking for her water to be filled. I silently padded through to the kitchen. Thankfully, her cup already had ice in it, otherwise she wouldn't be getting any at all. I had checked the kitchen before and all the freezer held was meat. Not even good meat, it was ham steaks (yuck!). I filled her cup and put the lid back on. As I strode back through the hall, however, I heard a clicking coming from the bedroom. The door was partway open and I peeked through as I passed. I froze in shock as my mind processed what my dad was holding.

It was a gun. The clicking had been him loading bullets into its magazine. He snapped it in and slid the action. He set it next to three others just like it. In front of him was a wall of weaponry. There were knives, guns, grenades, even a… was that a bazooka?! I had been in this room but I had chose the other one to sleep in. I wish I hadn't. This was amazing! I don't know where all the weapons had come from, didn't know where my dad had learned to use them, but I wanted to learn how to use them. It had always been my not-so-secret ambition to be a spy as a child, but I always figured I would never get anywhere even close to these weapons, so I wouldn't get enough training to become one. But here my dad was, handling guns and now a whetstone like a pro!

"Dad?" He whirled around to face me, one of his hands already clutching at a gun. I smiled at this base instinct that seemed well learned. "What is all this stuff?"

"Honey?" He called. I pouted. He was taking all the fun out of it already? He grabbed a holster and belted it around his waist, shoving two guns into it. As Mom came around the corner, she didn't look surprised to see me. I watched mystified as she caught the thigh holsters my dad threw her easily. This was my mom! The one who freaked out if I threw so much as a ball of yarn at her!

"Looks like its time for a crash course in gun handling." I gaped at my mom. I must be dreaming.

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Two minutes later, I was holding a gun with a large silencer on it. I wasn't dreaming. I held it pointed at the ground like Dad had told me to years ago when he had bought me a rifle. I hadn't been interested in the hunting of animals but was excited to be holding it. It was a .22, so it wouldn't do much, but my dad had brought it out while my Abuela was over. I had it pointed at the ground but I wanted to point it up in the air like he had also told me I could do. I had underestimated its weight, however, and when I tried pointing it up, I only managed to get it halfway, which was basically pointing it in everyone's faces. It wasn't loaded, had the safety on and all, but it was a whole two years between that time and the next time I was allowed near the gun.

"Where did you guys get all this stuff?" I asked. I still didn't understand what was going on. I mean, I thought most of it was totally awesome, but this all was a little sudden. How did my mom know SHEILD? Where did both my parents learn these skills? Did it have anything to do with me and my… alter ego?

"Shoot first, ask questions later, baby." My mom chided. Gods, this was all types of weird. I raised my gun, looking down my right arm to line up my sights with the target. I pulled the trigger. The gun made a little *puft!* noise as it shot. I almost started laughing, but I knew how deadly being quiet was.

I looked for where it hit on the target. It wasn't bad. Just outside the second circle.

"Good job baby!" I got a pat on the back. She smiled wistfully. "I remember my first shot… So, what was your question?"

"Well, it has to do with that actually… What's going on? Since when are you and dad super spies? Does this have to do with SHEILD? And… there's also something I have to tell you…"

"Well, your daddy and I worked for SHEILD once upon a time… We started off as pencil pushers until we were given an assignment. We met on our last assignment, a joint, and we fell in love and disbanded. It was pretty bad for the first couple of years. We had to move all over America, went that way until we got to Franklin."_ No way. That matched up with the files I had read!_

"Did you have me that whole time too?" She gave me a sideways glance, suddenly assessing.

"Well, yeah, we had you."

"Why didn't you ever tell me? And were any of the stories true? About Florida?"

"Well, some of the truths were a little stretched, but what does it matter if you were in Texas or Florida?" I sat on the bed, the gun dangling beside my legs, still carefully pointed at the ground.

"There's one more thing. While I was at the tower, they gave me my file to read, which is why I knew about the moving. But they also showed me something else. I was a little… distressed about it, and they let me go. I don't think they knew that JARVIS would let me go. But it's the reason I got away. It was, well… Am I… Actually your biological daughter? I mean, do you even know what's wrong with me? What I have in me? That I never knew about? Do you know about... Starlight?" She shifted slightly and wouldn't meet my gaze. "So, you do know. You knew all this time?" She finally sighed and joined me on the bed.

"We knew from the very beginning." She smiled grimly. "That was what the joint mission was. You are our birth child just… augmented is all. You're still my princess. You were the reason we broke away from SHEILD. They wanted to take you, train you to be a weapon. So, we grabbed you and ran. We just wanted to give you a normal life. So, we ran away from it all. I- We wanted to protect you from that, and we were the ones who told them to build in the lock code. As a safeguard, but it was just so you could be normal. With power like that, like what you have, comes different forms of responsibility that you wouldn't have had if we hadn't raised you. You wouldn't be the woman you are today: a strong, confident woman. You would've been a killer."

"What about Na? Natasha, I mean?"

"She was to be your trainer… She wasn't so bad… She protected you from the worst ones, the ones who wanted to experiment on you. She was the one who came after us, who wanted you back for mostly innocent reasons. She knew what they were going to make you but she allowed them to keep you so she could be near you. She loved you, probably still would. Brie, if you come across her again, use this against her. It doesn't matter if you feel the same way or not, pretend if you have to, just make sure she wont hurt you. Because if she does have to, she'd rather hurt you enough to be captured than enough to make you stop running. She could hurt you permanently. Just to get her Star back. You must understand this, even if you don't do anything else. Find her weakness, and bury her in it."


	14. Chapter 14

Sorry for the long wait for this! I'm in a bit of a writing slump, but hopefully this signifies the end of it!

* * *

Chapter Fourteen

I looked out the window as the cab drove us toward the airport. I would finally be going home! Seeing my friends, sleeping in my own bed, even going to school after a stressful week like this would be heaven. My parents were worried, I could tell, but I ignored it all and watched the stream of people walking by. I had heard of traffic jams, but living in Wisconsin, the worst I had seen was getting stuck behind a tractor or a train. This was insane; long minutes of waiting just to move a couple inches forward. I was just on the edge of dozing off when my eyes caught something, someone. Someone familiar.

"Steve?" I mumbled in confusion.

"What hon?" Mom asked.

"Steve. It's Steve. From the tower. There, at," I paused here, feeling amateurish trying to use the clock way of showing my parents who I was talking about. "At 3 o'clock? Yeah, with the blonde hair." My mom spotted him.

"Hmm… I don't think he knows exactly what he's doing, or maybe he's just really out and about. Do you see anyone else you recognize?" I looked around and around but saw no one else.

"No, it's just him." She nodded in response.

"Then we probably don't have to worry about him… but make sure to keep an eye out, okay?"

"Yeah." I sighed, then went back to almost dozing against the window. Finally, finally, we got moving again and got to the airport. Mom shook my shoulder to get me out of my stupor, then we went to our gate, slowly. I was more nervous than I would be normally, mostly brought on by the arm holster that held a ceramic knife. I knew it couldn't be detected, but having a weapon, even if it was only to protect, was terrifying. We got through security with no problem though and were soon on the plane back to Wisconsin. Home. I watched the clouds pass as we flew and in just an hour and a half later, we were there!

As we stepped out of the airport, I took a deep breath of fresh air. I sighed in relief when there wasn't even a small hint of smoke or pollution. When we got to our car, I briefly wondered what we were going to do now that SHIELD was interested in me again. But we drove home and I relaxed as our house came into view. The first thing I would do was lay on my bed, I have to admit, the other bed was more comfortable, but it wasn't mine. The blue room might've been a temporary rest place, but it was like a hotel. A really nice hotel with fur blankets and a Vichy shower… I ran into the house and up into my room and jumped onto my bed. Even if I was vying for room with all the other objects on my bed it was still the best feeling in the world.

I looked at my room. It was still tiny, and I wondered, not for the first time, what it would be like if my room was bigger. Like… my room, the blue room I mean, at the tower. It would be too big, I decided. I liked how small and comfy my room was. Mostly. I was interrupted from my thoughts by a frantic knocking at the front door. _Who could it be?_ I walked downstairs at the same time Mom opened the door.

"Brie?!"

"Kalli?!"

"You're back!" My mom stepped back in time to not get run over as Kalli burst into the house in a flurry of… paper?

"What are you doing here?" I laughed as Kalli hugged me. It was amazing to see her. I hadn't even considered how much I would miss everyone.

"She's been bringing your homework for you. Every day you've been gone she's shown up. Why haven't you brought home this much homework?" My mom answered for a babbling Kalli.

"We've all been so worried and no one knew what happened, Marion was withdrawn from school, they said, people have been saying-"

"Kalli. Calm down. Take a breath. I'm right here. And you're not in any of my classes… Where have you been getting all this homework?" A blush surprised me but,

"Well… Some of it was just paper… A lot of it is notes to you from everyone. Manda said you would like that."

"She's so right! Come in! We have so much to talk about…" After she had taken off her shoes and puffy, green coat , I dragged her up to my room. We both cleared spots on my bed then she waited expectantly for me to start.

"Well? Start from the beginning. Manda said you got kidnapped by Thor of all people! And there's a hole in the ceiling, everyone knows what it's from but nobody says anything about it."

"Okay. I told you it was a hell of a story… I was kidnapped by Thor. From the Avengers. He brought me back to some place in, well somewhere down south, where I suppose I was supposed to meet them for the first time, but I fainted. Lame, I know." I paused to make a face and Kalli grinned, alleviating some of the tension that had built up. "Then they brought me to New York."

"So, wait, they brought you to New York? Why there?"

"You know Iron man? Tony Stark?"

"Yeah, of course." Kalli leaned in, completely wrapped up in the story.

"He has a tower there and, gosh it's amazing… The entire place is wired with a… robot, I guess, named JARVIS, and he controls _everything_. And there were other robots, I actually liked one named Dummy. And I was in this room most of the time, this beautiful room… There were so many floors and I had one all to my self, I think it was a floor for guests only. And you won't believe who I met! I met them all! Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye… and the Black Widow. But they are so cool in real life… There's Steve, he's the captain, Clint is Hawkeye… Bruce, if you had met him you wouldn't believe me, is the Hulk. He's just a very calm person except one time when I hit him with a chair…" I paused again here for the look Kalli was giving me. "What?"

"You hit him with a chair?"

"It's a long story… He was trying to draw my blood, you know how I feel about needles…"

"That's not an excuse to hit someone with a chair! Especially the Hulk!"

"They had locked me into it! I was strapped to the chair! I just knocked him over when I was trying to run!" Kalli's jaw dropped.

"They strapped you to a chair?!"

"That's what I thought!" We shook our heads at their stupidity.

"Soo… Bruce is the Hulk?" I glanced up from where my gazed had dropped to my hands.

"Wha? Oh, right. Tony is Iron Man, but everyone already knew that, Thor is literally the God of Thunder. He's amazing. Even if he was the one that kidnapped me in the first place. He did make that hole in the ceiling… Broke through it like it was paper maché… Then he flew me off to wherever. And we actually flew! It was amazing! We were so high off the ground, and when we landed it was so exhilarating, a complete dive and we landed lighter then a butterfly!" I slowly came out of my memory, only to see Kalli looking at me exasperatedly. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "What now?"

"If you're done telling me of your love of flight, which I already knew, can we move on?" She asked grinning. I grinned right back at her, all my friends knew about my obsession with the skies.

"Yeah, yeah… Well the last one is Na- Natasha, and she's the Black Widow."

"That's not all"

"What do you mean?"

"About Natasha? Na?" I looked away evasively. I still didn't know how to bring this up, or how Kalli, or any of my friends really, would react to it.

"Well, she's part of this other thing. The reason they wanted me. I never actually knew this, at least until they kidnapped me, and I might never had known. I'm not… normal-"

"Well I already knew that!" Kalli interrupted, laughing.

"Shut up!" I said sarcastically before continuing. "I have something in me, something that can be controlled by the agency that told the Avengers to steal me, I think. It's locked away now, but there are codes to unlock her. I just, I don't know what to do about her."

"Who is _her?"_

"Ah… Star. She's sorta my alter ego."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Kalli stared at me for a moment. I shifted uneasily as she watched me, trying to figure out what she was doing. Finally, I broke.

"What?!"

"When did you dye your hair?" I was taken aback by the random subject.

"Ah… That's Star too. She has them like tiger stripes I think. She's a cat-girl I guess."

"Can I see her?" I considered this for a moment, turning to look at my purse where I had hidden the piece of paper. I wanted to. I wanted to be beautiful, perfect, powerful Star. She had stayed in the back of my mind through everything and was there now, a new separate presence I could feel in the back of my mind, like a muscle. A muscle I very badly wanted to stretch.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt…" I hesitated then rushed over to the purse, unzipping the pocket to draw out the paper. I stared at it in silence for a minute before slowly unfolding it only to freeze again when I saw the words.

"Brie? You don't have to-"

"No. I need to do this… I'm just scared." I whispered the last part. Kalli and Manda were the only people, minus my parents, that I would admit this to. They were my family, my sisters, and I trusted them. I trusted Kalli. So I took a deep breath.

"Unlock code 2-1-9-7-Alpha-Foxtrot-Nebula-Starlight."

I felt the almost familiar fire run through me, changing me. Then it was done. '_That was quicker then last time'_

"Brie?" I tilted my head to the side and stretched quickly, padding over to the bed to curl up. "Oh my god you have a tail." I swished it and watched it swivel hypnotically. "Can you talk?"

"Uh huh." Who was this girl again? She was familiar and a happy smell, like Na. "Are you dressed up funny? You smell familiar." I said as I turned to her to view her shocked expression.

"I'm Kalli, don't you remember?" She shook her head. "Are you Star?" I nodded and rolled back into a ball, facing her now. I was nothing if not polite.

"Hi Kalli. Are you a Brie-girl?" I had been paying attention since I woke up the last time. I had slept for a long time while Brie-girl had been awake. No one had called me. But now I was called more often, and I had to learn more, about people like Brie-girl, who was like Na, but not. Maybe this Brie-girl could tell me about my next mission. The Brie-girl gave me a weird look.

"No, I'm not a.. Brie-girl… but I'm like, umm, like Na and Brie. But I don't know Na. Would you like to tell me about her?" I grinned.

"Na's my cectpa, my sister. She teaches me things like Brie does, but I don't think they like each other. Na can be scary when she doesn't like people. She taught me how to be scary when I don't like people." I said nonchalantly as I flexed my claws. Kalli hesitated then asked,

"Do you like Brie?" I considered this. I didn't really have a choice, not when she held the most paths in our brain, but she did seem to want to get to know me. With me being awake more often, we would be able to talk soon. And she did do a good job of being good and talking to people. She could help me with my lessons while Na wasn't here. Maybe Na wouldn't even know how to blend in with people in this newer group. They seemed to young for her to understand. I liked Brie for that. Maybe soon we would go see Na and she would be proud of all I learned.

"Yeah, I like her."

"Can I talk to her again?" Hmm… I _was_ getting tired. Maybe it wouldn't hurt, once I was back in our head, for me to take a little cat nap… Then I would figure out how to get us back to our training and lessons with Na! I bet Brie would like Na once she got to know her. Na was good, not as pure as Brie, but good. I grabbed the paper and got ready to say the icky words that would free Brie.

"Lock code 2-1-9-7-Talon-Beta-Nebula-Nightshade." The ice shuddered through my veins and I shivered as I came to. I looked at Kalli and tilted my head at the look she was giving me.

"What?" I said, for what seemed like the millionth time that night.

"That was probably the weirdest thing I have ever witnessed," Kalli said, cocking her head to the side.

"Is she that bad?"

"How can I explain this?" She sat cross-legged on my tall bed and bit her lip, trying to come up with the right words to say. It took her a few minutes, but at that moment I couldn't care less. My friend just saw me turn into some sort of alter ego mutant thing and she was okay with it. She didn't seem to be scared of me or anything! For that, I was insanely grateful. "Okay," Kalli said finally. "After you said that code thing, you, like, tensed up and then you turned into some weird cat-girl...thing. Don't get me wrong, it was cool, but weird. And then you started acting more like a cat. You said something about a Brie-girl? I don't know if she was talking about humans or people... like you, or what."

"Did she say anything about Na?" I asked her.

"Yeah, she said Na was your sister. Well, actually she said something else. It was some weird word that I didn't catch."

"Cectpa?"

"Yeah," she said. "How did you know?" How _did_ I know?

"I honestly have no clue. It just sort of came to me, I guess... Did she say anything else?" I needed to know more about Star and Na.

"She said that Na teaches her things and that she doesn't think the two of you like each other very much," Kalli answered.

"Then what?" I asked eagerly.

"I convinced her to bring you back." I raised a suspicious eyebrow at my friend.

"That's it?"

"That's it." I settled back down in disappointment. So, really, I hadn't learned anything… but I did feel different. I could feel Star more prominently in my mind, like she was getting stronger. She seemed inactive so I turned my attention back to Kalli. She seemed a bit uneasy suddenly, glancing at the clock. Now it was my turn to give her a look. She sighed.

"I need to go. I told my mom I would be back an hour ago." I winced at the thought of her mom being mad, she was scary all the time anyway and I had never seen her truly angry. So I nodded and walked her to the front door and waited for her to slide back into her shoes and coat. We hugged goodbye then she turned to go but stopped. "Can I have a ride to school tomorrow?"

"There's school tomorrow?!"

"It is Sunday…"

"You've got to be kidding me… Yeah I'll pick you up around 7:45ish. Like normal." I finally replied with a sigh. I watched as she walked away then closed the door and locked it. I turned and walked back up to my room to sit on my bed.

School… Full of people I didn't want to talk to about what happened. And classes I mostly didn't like. I mean, Myths and Legends was great and so was stained glass but Psych 2 and Algebra were downright unbearable. I only slightly liked some of the things we did in Psych. In Algebra however, I had to sit next to what must've been the most annoying boy in the school, and I never wanted to do the stupid homework. But I would buck up and go, like I always had to. I would go and enjoy hanging out with my friends and my two good classes and survive the others. Just like normal.

Then I would be able to relax a bit more from the stressful "vacation" I had taken. And then, and only when I was ready, I would think more of my time with the Avengers.


End file.
